Tom Cullen cast as Lady Mary’s new love interest for Downton Abbey series four

While viewers may still be mourning the death of Matthew Crawley in Downton Abbey, his replacement has already been found, with Tom Cullen joining the cast of series four as Lady Mary’s new love interest.

Fans were left outraged on Christmas Day after Matthew was killed during the final minutes of the festive special, with his untimely demise coming the same day as the birth of his first child.

Producers tried to quell the unrest by promising a new love interest for Lady Mary, with Miranda star Tom Ellis initially tipped to take the role.

Julian Ovenden (right) is also joining the cast (Picture: Getty)

But now Carnival and Masterpiece on PBS – which broadcasts the show in the US – has confirmed Lord Gillingham will be played by Welsh actor Tom Cullen, previously seen starring in the first series of Black Mirror and Ridley Scott miniseries World Without End.

His character is described as ‘an old family friend of the Crawleys who visits the family as a guest for a house party’ – but it’s unclear for how long he will stay at Downton.

The young widow may have another love interest in the form of dashing aristocrat Charles Blake, played by Smash star Julian Ovenden, while former EastEnders star Nigel Harman is also joining the cast as a valet named Green.

Shirley MacLaine will be back as Martha Levinson (Picture: ITV)

Opera star Kiri Te Kanawa will also guest star in the series, with the soprano set to sing during her visit to Downton.

There’s also good news for fans of Shirley MacLaine, with the US actress set to reprise her role as Lady Cora’s mother – and the Dowager Countess of Grantham’s sparring partner.

The casting news comes after Siobhan Finneran, who plays scheming maid Sarah O’Brien, confirmed she would not be returning to the show for series four, although the door may be kept open for a possible return in the future.